Frozen in fear


Rules Questions

Grand Lodge

I was looking at trying to build an intimidate based charactor and i was wondering is there any way to make a creature helpless through imtimidate; ie. frozen in fear?

thanks

The Exchange

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The Cowering condition is literally defined as "the character is frozen in fear and can take no actions."

However that does not make them Helpless, which is a different condition that leaves them open to a coup de grace.

Which are you looking for?

Grand Lodge

A way to make them helpless via intimidation, i looked at the expanded fear rules and that doesnt work or the unchained unlocks; i assume there is not a way just asking if there is something i overlooked.


Short of becoming a Mummy, I am not sure there is any other fear effect that paralyzes (which would make them helpless) a target.

Grand Lodge

@AwesomenessDog
I assumed so thanks!

i was trying to make a super fear charactor ala Death one of the four horsemen.

But thanks

Sovereign Court

If the point is getting helpless to Coup De Grace, you can come at it from the other side. There is at least one line of feats that opens up other conditions to allow Coup De Grace, not just helpless. Dastardly Finish for cowering or stunned, but requires 5d6 sneak attack. Merciless Butchery expands on that, making it a standard action that doesn't provoke if it is your studied target as well.

Otherwise, look at grapple and tying up the target, as that makes them helpless as well. And Throat Slicer moving the goalpost from tied up to merely pinned. Or Greater Whip Mastery reducing the number of grapple checks needed to tie up, etc.

Grand Lodge

Firebug wrote:

If the point is getting helpless to Coup De Grace, you can come at it from the other side. There is at least one line of feats that opens up other conditions to allow Coup De Grace, not just helpless. Dastardly Finish for cowering or stunned, but requires 5d6 sneak attack. Merciless Butchery expands on that, making it a standard action that doesn't provoke if it is your studied target as well.

Otherwise, look at grapple and tying up the target, as that makes them helpless as well. And Throat Slicer moving the goalpost from tied up to merely pinned. Or Greater Whip Mastery reducing the number of grapple checks needed to tie up, etc.

These are all good options but dont fully fit the scyth wielding charactor i have envisioned; i may have to change it to a more maliable concepts; however my charactor as it stands is an inquisitor; human going the dazzling display into intimidating confidence, i wield a scyth to play up the Deaths angle, i considered haveing minor whip skills with the hangman's noose item; however i was just looking for options Thanks!!


If you're looking at a Scythe/Whip character, check out the MORTAL USHER Prestige class.

Specifically at level 7 (character level 13+) you're given a free +7 "whip" that doesn't require hands to wield, so you could pin them with that then coup-de-grace them with your Scythe.

Grand Lodge

MrCharisma wrote:

If you're looking at a Scythe/Whip character, check out the MORTAL USHER Prestige class.

Specifically at level 7 (character level 13+) you're given a free +7 "whip" that doesn't require hands to wield, so you could pin them with that then coup-de-grace them with your Scythe.

That looks like it might fit well Thanks a Ton!!


Yeah I think it's pretty great. I'm (probably) about to take it for my Haunt Collector Occultist. I love the flavour and some of the abilities are great, but it's probably not the power-gamer choice for me (though it's not a bad choice either).

The only major thing I see for you is that it doesn't grant bonus feats, and some of what you're looking for is fairly feat heavy. You'll probably need to plan ahead and be very selective with your feats.

Or you could forget the coup-de-grace thing and just use Reaping Strike for that flavour. Hitting an enemy for 6d4 (Improved Vital Strike with a Scythe) +5d6 (Reaping Strike) +2d6 (Bane from Inquisitor) +X (STR/Enhancement/etc) isn't a bad standard action (~39.5 damage from dice alone).

Personally I'm a huge fan of the level 3 ability and the level 7 ability, but it' worth noting that whips only deal non-lethal damage and don't threaten, so if you want to use it as moee than just a flavourful extra you'll probably need to invest at least 2 feats (weappn focus, whip mastery).

(I also love the level 9 and 10 abilities, but that's a long time to wait for your class to come online. I wpuldn't take it just for them.)

Grand Lodge

MrCharisma wrote:

Yeah I think it's pretty great. I'm (probably) about to take it for my Haunt Collector Occultist. I love the flavour and some of the abilities are great, but it's probably not the power-gamer choice for me (though it's not a bad choice either).

The only major thing I see for you is that it doesn't grant bonus feats, and some of what you're looking for is fairly feat heavy. You'll probably need to plan ahead and be very selective with your feats.

Or you could forget the coup-de-grace thing and just use Reaping Strike for that flavour. Hitting an enemy for 6d4 (Improved Vital Strike with a Scythe) +5d6 (Reaping Strike) +2d6 (Bane from Inquisitor) +X (STR/Enhancement/etc) isn't a bad standard action (~39.5 damage from dice alone).

Personally I'm a huge fan of the level 3 ability and the level 7 ability, but it' worth noting that whips only deal non-lethal damage and don't threaten, so if you want to use it as moee than just a flavourful extra you'll probably need to invest at least 2 feats (weappn focus, whip mastery).

(I also love the level 9 and 10 abilities, but that's a long time to wait for your class to come online. I wpuldn't take it just for them.)

Ya im not super into the power game more for the flavor of the fear aspect, but the whip as a noose to hold one down then finish them off would be nice too!

I havent had time to read the class in entirety i was writing this at work but ill have to look into it completely Thanks!

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